How can I verify a college degree for free?

A school's registrar may verify the available college degrees. Graduation information is considered directory information by the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974, and schools are normally allowed to confirm degrees without written consent from the student.

As of 2014, a school can also be checked against an online list of unaccredited education institutions in the United States. There are also online services, such as DegreeVerify on the Student Clearing House website, that confirm degrees for a small fee. If the degree to verify is foreign, other privacy laws may apply. A reliable source should be chosen to avoid encountering an unaccredited degree mill.